Israeli Forces Kill US Citizen During West Bank Incident

A Palestinian official reported to AFP that Israeli forces fatally shot a 14-year-old Palestinian-American in the occupied West Bank on Sunday. The deceased, Omar Muhammad Saadeh Rabee, was identified as a US citizen by the mayor of Turmus Ayya. The Israeli military stated that soldiers killed a “terrorist” during “counter-terrorism activity” in the area, claiming the individual and others had been throwing rocks at passing vehicles.

The soldiers opened fire toward the terrorists who were endangering civilians, eliminating one terrorist and hitting two additional terrorists,” a military statement added.

The Palestinian health ministry said one person was in critical condition and another suffered minor injuries in the same incident.

Shalabi said one of the wounded also had US citizenship. And Turmus Ayya, northest of the main West Bank city of Ramallah, is known for having many dual US-Palestinian citizens.

The Palestine Red Crescent said its teams had taken the body of the deceased boy to a hospital. It also reported the injuries of two boys shot in the lower abdomen and thigh respectively, during “clashes” in Turmus Ayya.

One of the two, 14-year-old Abdul Rahman Shehadeh, told AFP he was shot by a soldier while collecting fruit near the town.

The second, who was shot in the abdomen, was identified as 14-year-old Ayoub Asaad by his father Ahed Asaad. He confirmed that the boy had a US passport.

Ahed Assad said that an ambulance that took his wounded son to hospital was stopped by soldiers.

“We were stopped at a military checkpoint at the village entrance, and a soldier told me that he was the one who shot the three boys,” he told AFP.

The Palestinian Authority’s foreign affairs ministry denounced the Israeli forces’ “use of live fire against three children”.

“Israel’s continued impunity as an illegal occupying power encourages it to commit further crimes”, it added.

Violence has soared in the West Bank since the Gaza war started on October 7, 2023.

Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 918 Palestinians, including militants, in the West Bank since then, according to Palestinian health ministry figures.

Palestinian attacks and clashes during military raids have killed at least 33 Israelis, including soldiers, over the same period, according to official figures.

Israel has occupied the West Bank, home to about three million Palestinians, since 1967.